Rulers of the Western Sky
by AppleL0V3R
Summary: One-shot Collection. 1. Flowers in her hair: Passing. For every hand offered to her there is a flower. For every hand accepted there is a necklace. For every heart she holds there is a ring. And she wonders if he notices. TaiKimi.


**Title:** Passing

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** N/A

**Fandom:** InuYasha

**Pairing:** Inu no Taisho and Inu Kimi

**Other Characters:** N/A

**Theme: **Flowers in her hair

**Summary:** For every hand offered to her there is a flower. For every hand accepted there is a necklace. For every heart she holds there is a ring. And she wonders if he notices.

**Word Count:** 1,225

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot Collection – Complete

**Genre: **Slice of Life, Pre-canon

**Warning: **N/A

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Started:** January 9, 2013

**Completed:** April 6, 2013

**Note: **So, I quite love the idea of this canon pairing even though they are never shown interacting with each other. However, I ran into the problem of the lack of name and even though I have them labeled as 'Inu no Taisho' (Inuyasha's father) and 'Inu Kimi' (Sesshomaru's mother) do to how wiki had them identified, I find it a little tiring to continually write them. So informally I'm using Inutaisho/Taisho and Inukimi/Kimi, just so you all know for future reference.

* * *

The proud, female Inu Daiyoukai could not be described as anything other than ambitious and cold to any who didn't know better. And truly, no one _did_ know better, after all she was young and unmated. She did not dare to reveal her playful, compassionate side until she found the right male to stand with her as her equal, otherwise she knew it could only end with her repressed and unhappy for as long as she was with him.

Long, steady legs walked on familiar high heels down old pathways she had traveled dozens of times in her time in the West. She knew without needing to look around her that she was headed for the ocean that marked the end of the Land of the West, particularly a small, homely cave a little ways into the water that had been eroded from the side of a large cliff face. It was near the home she had chosen after the death of her parents, and it was secluded enough that only she had any knowledge of it. Though that was not why she had chosen this specific cave, she had no doubt that there many a cave that no one else frequented. The appeal of this one was the small natural hot spring at the back of it and a peaceful clearing amongst the forest atop the cliff that was just as secluded due to dense and treacherous forestry.

It took nearly no time at all to arrive at her destination, her thoughts too preoccupied with mates and court duties to truly pay attention to the passage of time or her surroundings. What did get her full attention immediately was the scent of another Daiyoukai atop the cliff above the cave. She'd crossed more than just normal forest wild life on her walks to the cave before, but this was definitely the first time she had ever happened across a powerful demon, an Inu no less. As she drew nearer to the cliff face, not quite past the shrubbery and trees, she realized that it wasn't just any Inu Daiyoukai, it was the next Lord of the West who stood upon the ledge facing the ocean. Surprise bolted through her, but so did curiosity; never before had she seen the powerful general anywhere near these parts despite it being so obviously within the realm of lands that made up the West. Perhaps he had been through here before as a way of checking the perimeter of the lands under his purview and she simply been too busy with other matters to cross paths with him.

Always having been catlike with curiosity than was true to her species, she approached the cliff face cautiously and debated if scaling it would be too forward a thing to do. Before she could decide that, no, it was easily explained with honest curiosity, the great dog demon had already leaped off the cliff. Landing solidly not more than a few feet away from her, he didn't bother to study his surroundings as his intent, golden eyes immediately honed in on her. Rather than shy from the soul searching stare, she meet him evenly, curious as to exactly what the powerful dog demon was up to.

It did occur to her, in the back of her mind, that she wasn't currently wearing any flowers or necklaces or rings, the possessions given when one dog demon was interested in another. She had dozens of them, and she usually isn't hesitant to display how well sought out she is within such a great kingdom of demons. Only when she comes to this place, her sanctuary, does she shed any ties to the politics and such that govern her reality. For brief moment, she wonders if his appraising eyes catch that they are missing, or if he assumes there wasn't anything there at all to begin with.

It also occurred to her that the powerful demon was not clad in his armor and swords, merely a simple white kimono with blue patterns matched with grey-blue hakama. If her nose weren't as good as it is and she hadn't already known the distinct smell of this particular Daiyoukai, she would have mistaken him for a mere peasant for his appearance alone. After all, her keen eyes could tell that the fabric he wore was garden variety cotton and certainly not expensive silk. How curious. Her sharp mind cannot help but to wonder about the all the plausible, and a few implausible, reasons as to why such a powerful and royal dog demon was dressed in such attire and why he was at her sanctuary and so studiously interested in her.

Anyone else and she would have made the first move, probably to skirt the male and be on her way. But curiosity stayed her hand and kept her still, resolved to wait him out. An approach that seemed to suit him just fine as he settled in to fully observe her before making any sort of plan of action. After a few long moments of intense scrutiny, the proud man shifted his stance slightly so as to take one soundless and leading step towards her. She wondered briefly, what exactly he intended to do.

Another few ground-eating strides and he was mere meters away from her, golden eyes still firmly fixed on her own. He paused again, staying still for a moment or two, before moving again, appearing for all intents and purposes like he was going to walk right past her without so much as a word or anything similar. She idled, wondering in that time if she wanted to let this unexpected meeting end abruptly and without meaning, but before she could come to any real decision he was already striding past her to wherever he intended to go. She turned her head so as to watch him disappear into the foliage with appraising eyes, before turning back to her own destination with the determination to relax and ignore the world at large as she had originally wanted.

Next time she ran into him, she wouldn't simply let him pass her by a second time. Next time she would make do more than just look at her appreciatively. Next time would be fun.


End file.
